Royal Navy - Environmental & Industrial Hazards Operations SO2

Ministry of Defence

Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 10th February 2025

 

Details

Reference number

383236

Salary

£36,530
Allowances for operational tasks are available upon attainment of competences.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer
Higher Scientific Officers, Band C2

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

MOD - Navy - MOD - Navy - The Institute of Naval Medicine (INM) provides scientific and medical support to improve the health and safety of the Royal Navy and UK Armed Forces. The unique opportunities offered within are multi-faceted, meaningful and exciting and suppo

Type of role

Science

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

Gosport, Hampshire

Job summary

The EIH Operations SO2 supports military units in Navy Command, and the wider MOD, with identification and assessment of hazardous material threats to personnel and the environment. You will work alongside military and civilian personnel in the UK and overseas, ashore and at sea, including deploying on submarines, to conduct surveys, audits and investigations and to deliver training.

You will be engaged in setting operational and technical policy, influencing and raising standards of risk control and advising on legal compliance. In addition to Navy Command, you will also work with the Naval Authority & Technology Group, Submarine Delivery Agency and Defence Safety Authority, to review and inform health and safety policy relating to hazardous substances and to assure compliance with Regulations. You will work with specialist and non-specialist colleagues helping to influence strategic stakeholders to deliver their Duty of Care.

The post also delivers two secondary roles:

i.) Hazardous Materials & Environmental Protection Officer – providing immediate response to incidents, including aircraft accidents, in the UK and overseas, including operational theatres. This role requires driving, including Emergency Response Driver duties, and involves a commitment to be rostered on-call and to remain within a geographic boundary when on response duties.

ii.) Submarine Atmosphere Trials Officer – provides assurance to the Duty Holder/Platform Authority of regulatory compliance and operational safety by conducting audits, training and sea trials. This role requires driving and does require work within the confines of a dived submarine and the use of vertical ladders.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

In Navy Command, civil servants work alongside their military colleagues in jobs that matter; jobs which often have a direct impact on the quality of the operational capabilities we deliver. 

Roles can offer great job satisfaction and there are many opportunities to develop and progress both within the Department and across the wider Civil Service.

The Institute of Naval Medicine (INM) provides scientific and medical support to improve the health and safety of the Royal Navy and UK Armed Forces. The unique opportunities offered within are varied, challenging and exciting and support Navy Command’s role to generate and operate forces for today and to ensure we are ready for tomorrow by developing and delivering the Navy of the future.

Navy Command provides an open, flexible, and inclusive work environment where civil servants and Armed Forces personnel work together in a wealth of interesting and challenging jobs in areas ranging from finance; legal services; personnel and HR; project planning and managing contracts, to media and communications.

Responsibilities:

Providing guidance, leadership, direction and advice, as Suitably Qualified and Experience Personnel, to the command chain and project teams, to ensure exposure to hazardous materials are adequately controlled.

Working on your own, or as part of a team, to conduct surveys, investigations and audits.

Undertaking occupational hygiene surveys in a wide variety of workplaces, ashore and at sea.

Responding to incidents involving hazardous materials, including aircraft accident sites, to provide on-scene monitoring and risk assessment to the command chain.

Undertaking Quantitative Fit Testing for industrial respiratory protective equipment.

Delivering training to Royal Navy and MoD personnel.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

Have a working knowledge of Environmental & Industrial Hazards, Environmental Health, or Hazardous Substances and a track record of hazard identification and risk assessment.

Be able to communicate with staff at all levels, from military personnel under training to senior military officers/civil servants.

Have strong presentational skills.

Use sound analytical skills to identify underlying gaps and challenge deficiencies in risk management, with a practical understanding of hazard identification and risk assessment techniques, such as taking measurements, interpreting data and applying the hierarchy of control principles for exposure to hazardous substances.

Make sound decisions based on available and/or incomplete evidence, and writing clear, accurate and concise reports that present complex information in a way that is easy for others to understand.

Professional competence demonstrated through relevant training and continuing professional development under a professional body.

Desirable criteria:

Certificate of Operational Competence in Occupational Hygiene (CertOH or iCertOH).
Emergency Response Driver certificate of competence to the National Occupational Standard.
Basic Offshore Safety Induction & Emergency Training (BOSIET)

Licences

Full UK Category B driving licence

Qualifications

Degree (or Level 6 equivalent) in natural, physical, or biomedical sciences, or environmental health.

Memberships

At least one of the following memberships is required:
• International Institute of Risk & Safety Management (IIRSM)
• Institute of Safety & Health (IOSH)
• Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
• Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)
• British Toxicology Society (BTS)
• Institute of Risk Management (IRM)
• The Emergency Planning Society (EPS)
• Institute of Civil Protection & Emergency Management (ICPEM)

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

  • Securing, maintaining and developing relevant technical expertise
  • Understanding and complying with statutory legal requirements and standards
  • Applying scientific and technical knowledge
Alongside your salary of £36,530, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,582 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
  • Learning and development tailored to your role
  • An environment with flexible working options
  • A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
  • 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
  •  A very competitive pension scheme
  • Personal & professional development
  • Alternative working patterns for many roles
  • Access to a confidential, professional support service
  • Discount schemes
  • Bicycle / season ticket loans
  • Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave Special paid leave to volunteer up to 6 days a year 
  • A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period. 

As a civil servant in Navy Command, you will be part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies, excellent career prospects, and a job that makes a difference.

Navy Command prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.
    
Other benefits for Navy Command civil servants include:

In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking an apprenticeship as part of your role.

An apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through an apprenticeship you will gain professional knowledge, practical experience, and the broader skills required to upskill you in your current role and pave the way for your future career. Most of the training will be ‘on-the-job’, with the remaining ‘off-the-job’ training often delivered by a training provider. This means minimal disruption and maximum impact.

Professional qualifications can be achieved through an apprenticeship and range from Level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSEs), Level 3 (equivalent to 2 A Levels), and Levels 4 -7, which can give you a foundation degree, a full Bachelor’s degree, or a Master’s degree. 

Apprenticeships normally last between 12 months - 3 years, depending on the level of the apprenticeship. 

Anyone can undertake an Apprenticeship and everyone, regardless of age, can benefit from developing their skills in an accredited way.

Successful candidates can discuss their development options with their manager when in post.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed. 

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.  

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.  

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights. 

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.  

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (250 words)

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, personal statement and the following:

  • Making effective decisions
  • Communicating and influencing
  • Securing, maintaining and developing relevant technical expertise
  • Understanding and complying with statutory legal requirements and standards
  • Applying scientific and technical knowledge 

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected. 

At interview, you will be assessed against the following: 

  • Making effective decisions
  • Communicating and influencing
  • Securing, maintaining and developing relevant technical expertise
  • Understanding and complying with statutory legal requirements and standards
  • Applying scientific and technical knowledge

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly. 

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of gender and ethnic group. Appointment will be based on merit alone.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk . 

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa.  It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. 

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.  



Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

  • Name : INM EIH Operations Manager
  • Email : NavyINM-EMSEIHOpsMgr@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

  • Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

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